News briefs

Cheney seeks applications for lodging tax grant funding

The city of Cheney is accepting applications for grant funding from its lodging tax fund for events that promote tourism to the city.

Revenue for the fund comes from lodging taxes collected on overnight stays at lodging establishments within the city. Applications go before the Lodging Tax Committee, which reviews and makes awards to twice during the year to events meeting the requirements.

“Funded projects must be a tourism draw to Cheney and bring people in from outside a 50-mile radius and include overnight stays in Cheney,” Finance Director Cindy Niemeier said in an email.

In 2016, Cheney distributed over $18,474 to organizations in the city attracting out of town guests such as Mayfest, Eastern Washington University 50-year Reunion committee and EWU Homecoming activities undertaken in a joint venture between the university and the Cheney Merchants Association.

According to Niemeier, there is over $100,000 available in the lodging tax fund, mainly because there have been no major new applications over the past several years.

The application form is available at the city’s website at cityofcheney.org, clicking on the link to the Finance Department’s page. More information is available by calling Niemeier at (509) 498-9209.

EWU science center makes governor’s list

Eastern Washington University, along with the city of Cheney, could potentially see new construction dollars coming this way if the university’s proposed Interdisciplinary Science Center (ISC) makes the legislative cut.

According to university officials, the ISC is nearing the end of its design phase and has been included in Gov. Jay Inslee’s budget at the full amount requested by the university — $67 million.

The ISC will compliment the 47-year-old Science Building, and should be able to accommodate the growth seen in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields over the past decade.

If the Legislature approves, the ISC could begin construction as early as September 2017, with construction projected at roughly 22 months to complete. Funding for renovation of the existing Science Building, estimated at $7.5 million, was not included in the governor’s budget.